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{
    "id": 1425609,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1425609/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 225,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Tabitha Keroche",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Speaker. I take this opportunity to congratulate Hamida for coming with The Nuts and Oil Crops Development Bill (Senate Bills No.47 of 2023). It is a nice Bill. I come from Nakuru County where we grow everything apart from coconuts. The soil is very fertile. We contribute about 40 per cent in of the National Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from agricultural activities. This means it is a very important county. With the pass of this Bill, Nakuru County will reap maximum benefits. Contrary to Sen. Faki alluded to, farming of pyrethrum has not collapsed. We have revived the pyrethrum crop in Nakuru County. We are so lucky to have an American company that has come up in Naivasha. They are putting up a processing plant that will do 7,000 tonnes per year and will create direct employment of 600. We need to grow more pyrethrum to support that industry. We thank the company from America. We saw the launch being done. That is one of the achievements for Nakuru County. One of the Kenya Kwanza five pillars is agriculture. We have seen what the Government has done, especially with the subsidized fertilizer. We have also seen the output this year has surpassed what we had two or three years back. This means we have achieved the agenda and will continue to support agriculture in this country. I think what Sen. Hamida is looking for is a value addition to whatever we grow in this country. Even as we continue with agriculture, the most important thing is to ensure we add value to agricultural products. When do value addition to tea, it becomes more expensive than just the normal tea. So, the minute we continue adding value to our nuts, pyrethrum, tomatoes, carrots, cabbages and whatever we grow, we will continue putting money into the people's pockets. In Kenya, we are so lucky to have our fertile land, where we pride ourselves on our agricultural output. This means that if build industries that will add value and create employment. When you add value, the products become more expensive. This will put money in our farmers' pockets. In Kinangop, farmers grow a lot of potatoes, but they lack storage facilitie. If you go to other parts of the world like China and Germany are good in value addition in their farm produce. They even to do value addition to their potatoes and produce. Value addition make their produce very expensive. As a country, we need to think seriously about value addition to our farm produce. This is the only way we will create more markets for our agricultural products. Our leaders visit abroad to market our products. I support Sen. Hamida and congratulate her for bringing this Bill to floor of this House. I am sure Nakuru County will be one of the counties that will benefit from this The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."
}